PART V.-CHAPTER II.

RAISING SUPPLIES-PARSONAGES.

Methods for Raising Annual Supplies for the Propagation of the Gospel, and for making up the Allowance of Preachers.

¶ 357. The more effectually to raise the amount necessary to meet the above mentioned allowances of the effective Min. isters and Preachers, let the Stewards at the beginning of the year estimate the amount needed monthly. Then ascer

tain from each member of the Church, and, as far as practicable, from each attendant of the congregation, what each purposes to give as his monthly contribution.

T358. Let these sums be entered by the Recording Steward in a book which he shall keep as Treasurer of the Board of Stewards. If the total amount of these sums does not equal the amount needed monthly, then let the Stewards appor tion the deficiency among all such as are willing, for Christ's sake, to assume such deficiency, setting down to each person,

with his consent, the additional amount which they think he ought monthly to pay.

Let

T359. Let the Stewards then adopt and carry out a plan by which every one, except such as prefer to make weekly contributions through their Class Leaders, shall have the opportunity of regularly contributing each month, or oftener, not grudgingly nor of necessity, the sum which has been pledged by him. these contributions be paid over regularly to the Recording Steward or Class Leader, and be brought up by him to the Leaders and Stewards' Meeting or Quarterly Conference, as the case may be. The Recording Steward shall keep an individual account of all these pledges and contributions, and shall pay over the same, under the direction of the Stewards, to the Preachers authorized to receive them.

T 360. To provide to meet the claims that may be presented and determined at the Annual Conference, every Preacher shall make an annual collection in every congregation of his charge, and the money so collected shall be lodged in the hands of the Steward or Stewards, and brought or sent to the ensuing Annual Confer

ence.

¶ 361. Let the annual produce of the Chartered Fund, as divided among the several Annual Conferences, be applied with the above contributions, but so as not to militate against the rules of the Chartered Fund, and also the annual dividend arising from the profits of the Book Concern. Out of the money so

collected and brought to the respective Annual Conferences, let the various allowances agreed upon in accordance with the provisions of ¶¶ 342-354 be paid.

1 362. Effective men who have not been able to obtain their allowance from the people among whom they have labored may present a claim to the Conference, to be paid out of the money at the disposal of the Conference, and such claim may be paid, or any part thereof, as the Conference may determine. In no case, however, shall the Church or Conference be holden accountable for any deficiency, as in the case of debt.

¶ 363. Every Annual Conference has full liberty to adopt and recommend such plans and rules as to it may appear necessary the more effectually to raise supplies for the respective allowances. Each Annual Conference is authorized to raise a

fund, if it judge proper, subject to its own control, and under such regulations as its wisdom may direct, for the relief of the distressed Traveling and Superannuated Preachers, their wives, widows, and children; and it shall be the duty of each Annual Conference to take measures, from year to year, to raise money in every Circuit and Station within its bounds for those purposes.

Building and Renting Houses for the Use of Traveling Preachers.

T 364. It is recommended by the General Conference to the Traveling Preachers to advise our friends in general to purchase a lot of ground in each Charge, and to build a Preacher's house thereon, and to furnish it with, at least, heavy furniture.

T 365. The General Conference recommends to all the Charges, in cases where they are not able to comply with the above request, to rent a house for the married Preacher and his family, when such are stationed upon the Charges respectively, and that the Annual Conferences do assist to make up the rents of

such houses as far as they can, when the Circuit cannot do it.

T366. The Stewards in each Circuit and Station' shall be a standing Committee, where no Trustees are constituted for that purpose, to provide houses for the families of our married Preachers, or to assist the Preachers to obtain houses for themselves when they are appointed to labor among them.

¶ 367. It shall be the duty of the Presiding Elders and Preachers to use their influence to carry the above rules, respecting building and renting houses for the accommodation of Preachers and their families, into effect. In order to this, each Quarterly Conference shall appoint a Committee, (unless other measures have been adopted,) which, with the advice and aid of the Preachers and Presiding Elders, shall devise such means as may seem fit to raise moneys for that purpose. And it is recommended to the Annual Conferences to make a special inquiry of their members respecting this part of their duty.